Shoulder strap



July 18, 1933. y A, HAwKlNS 1,918,748

SHOULDER STRAP Filed Dec. 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l A. HAWKINS SHOULDER STRAP July 18, 1933.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 18,'1933 AGNES HAWKINS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS SHOULDER strane y Appncation mea :December s, 1931. serial No. 579,236.

This invention relates to improvements in shoulder straps for supporting ladies under garments.

The object of thev invention is to provide shoulder straps having sullicient stidness transversely to prevent their rolling up into -a string-like condition as single thickness ribbon straps do, and which will yet present a very neat appearance and be very flexible and pliable for fitting closely to the shoulders. One important feature relatesto the use in the strap of atape-like member having spaced` lateral projections rounded at their ends and which extend at their tops substantially to the edges of the strap, the projections being spaced apart lengthwise of the strap whereby the strap is stidened edgewise but is very pliable flatwise.

Another important feature relates to the use of wire stiffeners extending laterally of the vstrap and spaced apart longitudinally thereof.

A further feature relates to the provision of a plurality of sets vof fasteners at the ends of the straps for convenience in removably securing a plurality yof garments thereto.

Instead of a whole strap made up as indicated, an elastic webbing strip may be used for the main part of the strap, and ends pro- 0 vided embodying various features of the invention made up as indicated.

yThe improved shoulder straps consist either wholly or in part of the tapes having lateral projections and'ta-pes vof full width secured together,` preferably by hem-stitch ing along the longitudinal center lines thereof and, in some instances, the addition of spaced apart-wire stiffeners.

The invention will be more readily understood from the following-description taken in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings forming part .of

this specification and in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the shoulder straps in use; y

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, elevational view of one side of the shoulder straps, parts .being broken away to best illustrate the invention; `Fig'.f3 is afragmentary,.elevational view of the opposite' side of :the strap; Y

the

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line /1-4 of-Fig.2;` y

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a slightly modified form; 1

i Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the of Fig. 5;

Fig; 7 is a view similar to Fig. 12 and showing another slight modification;

Fig. .8 is a sectional view on the line 8---8` of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevational View and showing another slight modification; Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but show-y ing the opposite end of the device;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 1() but line 6 6 showing the opposite side of the end shown in` Fig. 10; y 1

Fig. 12 is a' longitudinal section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11;

.Figa 13is a similar section taken on thev Y line 13-13 of Fig. 2; l

Fig.14 4is a view similar to Fig. 13 but showin-g a number of garments secured to the device; i

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a slight modification .of construction;

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15-but i showing the oppositeside; i i

.Fig 17 is a view similar to Fig. 15 but showing another form of construction;

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 17 but showing the opposite side;

K Fig. 19 'is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing another slight modification of the invention; and

Fig. 20 is a view similar to Fig. 19 but vshowing the opposite side of the device.

ln said drawings, 1 illustrates a shoulder strap Aembodyingthe invention in one form, and 2 illustrates an undergarment to be held up by .the use of the straps. f

lSuch straps are usually made up of a single thickness of ribbon which frequently curls up into a string and has no rigidity or stiffness edgewise to holdit out flat.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the strap consists of a relatively thin ribbon-like strip 3, a stiffening tape 4 and a second outer ribbon-like member 5.

Preferably, the stiffening tape 4 is in the form of what is known as rick-rack, a manufactured tape which is made in zig-zag shape, as best shown in Fig.` 2. This tape has rounded projecting parts 6 at each edge, those at one edge being spaced between those at the other edge. Preferably, the rick-rack is sewed to the member 3 by a central, longitudinal line of stitching 7 only and prefer.- ably, on account of its stitfening effect, this line of stitching is what is known as hem stitching in which the threads of the goods are spread apart to produce a line ofholes 8 separated by transverse threads 9.

The sidewise extending parts of the rickrack add a certain stiffening 4effect to the strap and, being spaced apart at each edge and free of the outer sides of the strap, they do not prevent the ready flexing of the strap fiatwise so that it follows closely the contour of the body against which it lies. Prefer ably, the outer part 5 of the strap is only secured at its longitudinal edges to the other side member 3 and, preferably, this member 5 is hemstitched along its center line, as shown at 10, vand near each longitudinal edge, as shown at 11, both for ornament and to assist in stiffening this side. 'K

IThe two side members 3 and 5 are secured together at their edges only by lines of stitching 12. The central portion of the member 5 is thus free and the strap may aptly be de` scribed as a flat tube, one side of which carries a stitfening member,y that is, the rickrack tape 4. It should be clear that, preferably, the lines of stitches 12 which secure the members 3 and 5 together do not secure the endsof the projections 6 of the rick-rack.

^ As anadditional means of stiffening the strap edge-wise and yet leave it quite-flexibly atwise,.I add short small wire stitleners 13 which are sewedto the rick-rack tape at spaced intervals and inrelatively inclined relation, as best shown in Fig. 2. The ends of these wirestitfeners are formed into eyes 13 to guard against the ends of vithe wires working through` the fabric. As shown in Fig. 2*, the wire stiffeners 13 are secured to alternate widened portions of the rick-rack, while in the form shown in Fig. 19, they are secured to adjacent widened portions of the rickrack tape.

`The ends of the strap are each provided with a plurality 0f means for detachably fastening garments to the strap, as shown by the relatively heavy loops 14, the relatively light loops 15,`and button holes 16.` The loops as well as the button holes areprovided at different distances from the ends for convenience in securing more than one garment to the strap and thus eliminate the necessity of more thanz-one strap to support the several undergarments.

. yThe three heavy loops 14 are made up of a continuous cord and are very much more easily and securely fastened by the stitching indicated than if the three loops were made of individual pieces of cord.

A button 17 near the upper edge of the garment 2 may either be used in a loop 14 or 15 or in a button hole 16, as may be desired by the user.

` The form 18 of strap shown in Figs. 5 and 6 consists of a ribbon-like member 19 similar to the member 3, and a rick-rack tape 2O sewed lto the member 19 together with a narrow straight tape 21 by a line of stitching 22 along the center lines of therscveral members. Preferably, this line of stitching is hemstitching, as described. Therick-rack in this form has the edge projections 23 on the two edges opposite to each other instead of zig-zag as shown in Fig. 2.

The form 24 of strap shown in Fig. 7 is made up of a ribbon-like member 25, a rickrack tape 26, and a narrow tape 27, all sewed together along vtheir center lines by a line of stitching 28, preferably hemstitching.

In this form the rick-rack is of the zigzag kind, as shown in Fig. 2. In both the forms shown in Figs. 5 and v7, the narrow tapes 21 and 27 take the place, in a sense, of the wire stiifeners 13 shown in Fig. 2.

Inthe form 29 ofstrap shown in Fig. 9, the main part of the strap is made up of an elastic webbing 30 and to this are secured end portions 31 which may be of any of the other forms, although the illustration shows an end substantially like that illustrated in Fig. 2. This is for the purpose of adding to the elastic web end portions which will remain fiat and will provide means such as the loops 15 or the button holes 16 for securing the undergarments to the strap. The loops 15 at the lower end of the strap are similar to the loops 15.

yThe attachment `loops 14 and 15 may be secured to the body of the strap in different ways. The relatively heavy loops 14 which consist of :cord may have their ends 32 stitched into the strap by the edge lines of stitching 12, as indicated in Fig. 3, or they may have their ends secured to the side meinber 3 by separate stitching 33, as shown in Fig. 17, or a separate piece of cord 34 may be used for each loop, as shown in Fig. 15, and secured to the main side 3 by stitching 35.

, In forming the loops 14 portions 32 of the cord connect the loops 14 and extend substantially horizontally across the strap'. These portions 32 are sewed to the strap by lines of stitching 14v extending centrally of these portions.

The 4loops 15 made of liner cord or thread may be secured in different ways to the straps, such, for instance, as to the main strap member 3 as shown in Fig. 12 and the loops drawn vthrough the openings in the center line of hemstitching as indicated in Figs. 1() and 11, or they may be secured to-the inside of the front member 5 of the strap as shown in Fig. 13 and likewise drawn through the holes in the centen line of hemstitching.

The button holes 16 are peculiar in that the center line of hemstitching 22 strengthens the edges which later form the sides of the button holes and then, after the cross threads at the button holes are cut, the button holes are worked in the regular manner. This provides very durable and strong button holes.

In Fig.V 14, the securing of several garments to one end of the strap is shown. The first undergarment 36, such as a teddy, may be secured by a button 37 to the loops at the extreme end and extending down from the inner side of the strap. Another garment 38, such as a combination garment, may be secured to the lower button hole by a button 39, and another outer undergarment 40, such as a princess slip, may be secured to one of the upper loops by a button 41.

It should be understood that the several` sets of loops and buttonholes are provided for the purpose of being able to readily adjust the length of the strap and the relative height of the garments to suit the individual needs.

In the form shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the

vend portions are provided with two sets of the loops 15 on one side and three sets on the other side, thus providing a great variety of adjustments. n

The form of construction shown in Figs.

15 and 16 may be substituted for that shown center line of hemstitching but no narrowA centertape is used.

` In the form shown in Figs. 19 and 20, which is similar to Fig. 2, the wire stifi'eners 13 are arranged on consecutive enlargements of the mick-rack instead of on the alternate ones,

and further, instead of the edge lines of hemstitching 43 extending along the whole length of the member- 5, they only extend for a few inches at each end of the strap.

As many modifications of the invention will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, I do not limit or confine the invention to the specific details of construction or combinations of parts herein shown and described. I claim:

1. A shoulder strap ofthe kind described and comprising a strip of thin material having substantially parallel side edges, and a second strip formed of rick-rack tape, the two strips sewed together along their longitudinal center lines, and the lateral edges of the projections on the rick-rack tape extending substantially to the lateral edges of the first-mentioned strip.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, the two strips sewed together along their center linesvwith a line of stitching known as hemstitching.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1, and a third strip comprising a narrow tape sewed to the othery two and extending centrally along same.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1, and a third strip similar to the first-mentioned strip and sewed to the first-mentioned strip along its side edges and serving to cover the rick-rack tape.

, 5. In a shoulder strap of the kind described, a multiple button hole device therefor comprising a cord formed into a plurality of: dependent loops and portions connecting the loops, each loop adapted to be used as a button hole, the end portions of the cord sewed to the strap at its edges, one at each side, by longitudinal lines of stitching, and the portions of the cordconnecting the loops sewed `to the strap by stitching extending substantially transversely of the strap.

6. A shoulder strap of the kind described and comprising a pair of strips of thin material and an Vintermediate strip of thicker material having notched edges, one of the outer strips and the intermediate strip sewed together by a center line of stitching, the two outer strips sewed/together at their longitudinal edges, and individual wire stiffeners secured to the strap and arranged at spaced intervals, the stiffeners being arranged` be-v tween the two outer strips.

7. A shoulder strap of the kind described and comprising a pair of strips of thin material and an intermediate strip of thicker material having notched edges, one of the outer strips and the intermediate strip sewed together by a centerline of stitching, the two outer strips sewed together at their longitudinal edges, and individual wire stiffeners secured to the strap and arranged at spaced intervals, the stiffeners being securedv to a face of the intermediate strip.

AGNES HAWKINS. 

